Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Flickr Photos

Several people who are upset about the release of Devin Thomas have made comments to me about the Redskins wide receiving corps beginning to look like The Smurfs 2. (Why this is an inherently bad thing is never made clear to me; the original Smurfs were instrumental in the 1982 Super Bowl season. [That’s the original REDSKINS Smurfs, obviously, not the blue cartoon from Belgium.] But whatever.) And you can certainly see where that observation comes from: Santana Moss has never been the biggest of guys, and he towers over Brandon Banks; Anthony Armstrong isn’t notably tiny, but he’s not a huge guy either.

Well, people who don’t like that are probably going to be less than thrilled with the latest wide receiver signed to the Redskins practice squad: Ray Small is listed at 5-11, 180, but that seems generous. Heck, he even has a diminutive last name. Small played college ball at Ohio State, where he returned kickoffs and punts in addition to catching passes, and he says that his 40 time is a 4.38. He was in training camp with the Minnesota Vikings and caught 4 passes for 43 yards during two preseason games with the team, but was cut during the preseason and returned to Columbus to train and wait for a call.

And wait. And wait. “I thought it was over for me,” Small said today.

Then the Redskins called, and they offered Small the one thing he says he was looking for: “They told me I have an opportunity,” Small said. “That’s basically all a player needs: an opportunity. So hopefully I can come in, show what I can do, my work ethic, hopefully get bumped up.”

Until then, Small will practice with the team, probably act as Devin Hester and DeSean Jackson and other speedsters on the scout team, and generally irritate the Smurf Haters.

Meanwhile, here’s a punt return from Small during his Ohio State days, with that speed on full display.